ipod noob needs help!

I'm thinking about getting an mp3 player and was going to get an ipod mini. I read that you have to use itunes to put songs onto the ipod. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that mean that I have to buy the songs on itunes and then put them on? Meaning my many many mp3s will be useless?

iTunes is not a music store, it is a music player. There is an iTunes music store, but that is not the sole purpose of the application, the primary purpose is to organize music, rip CDs, convert mp3s and burn CDs.

I went to Future Shop to get an Ipod mini and the guy said there are no more 4gig minis left in the world. Something about Apple being sold out and there are no retailers that can get them. I gotta say that I think he's full of it. Although since the 2nd generation model came out perhaps it is possible. Any help?

1) When I create folders in iTunes, of my music, I click and drag mp3s stored on my hard drive to iTunes. Does iTunes simply creating a shortcut to these songs, or does it copy them, doubling the space they take up on my computer?

2) Let's say I have a folder of Stevie Wonder tunes, Marvin Gaye, and Ray Charles, all in my iTunes. Then, I take songs from these folders, and put them in a, let's call it, "R&B Mix" folder? Does this also count double towards storage space, or is it again just shortcuts?

i am pretty sure that they are both just shortcuts. i had an accident on my computer and all my songs from limewire that i had put on itunes were deleted...and when i went to play those songs on itunes they said that they didn't exist. obviously if they were copied, they would have played fine.

One more question. To charge the ipod and put songs on it, do you need to buy the docking station? Or does a USB cable get the job done?

Click to expand...

[NERD]When you buy the iPod, it comes with the iPod, a USB cable, a wall charger, and iTunes plus all of the drivers on a CD. I bought a 60GB iPod photo, so I assume that the other one's come with the same stuff. But yeah, the USB cable connects to the wall charger and charges the iPod and the USB cable also charges the iPod when you plug it into your computer. You don't really need the dock unless you really want it. On a side note, does anyone else use WAV's instead of mp3's on their iPod? Personally, I love having my CD collection at CD quality in one little, portable device. I know that it takes up a lot of space, but my ear can tell the difference between a CD and an mp3.

Also, if you're really an audiophile, you might want to get a PocketDock (with line out) or a SiK Ram Din so you can connect a portable headphone amp (a cmoy or the like, sold on eBay) and get top quality sound.[/NERD]

I believe that you have to have USB 2.0 in order to charge the iPod directly off your PC. Older PC's have USB 1.1. But the wall plug will also charge it.

Also, iTunes is required to format and set up the iPod the first time. iTunes requires Win 2000 or better. It will not work on Win 98. Once the iPod is set up, formatted, etc. there are plug ins for WinAmp that will function it as your music library, with out iTunes.